Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Sounds from the Empress Dowager’s Bedchamber: Blushing and Embarrassed!

Neishi Teng, who had followed Li Mo inside, instinctively took a few steps back.

With such a significant event, how does he have the mind to be preparing gifts?

Based on his own experience of being scolded, he was certain Li Mo would be reprimanded harshly by the Empress Dowager for his words.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor had spent the entire night worrying about Lu Buwei.

It’s not a festival or birthday.

To say he was preparing a gift is just a nicer way of putting it.

Plainly, he was slacking off.

With the Empress Dowager’s short temper, how could she tolerate anyone fooling around at such a critical time?

Neishi Teng closed his eyes in silent mourning.

National Advisor, hang in there!

“The National Advisor is thoughtful.”

Suddenly, Zhao Ji’s voice turned gentle.

“Hmm?”

Neishi Teng opened his eyes wide in disbelief, looking at Zhao Ji.

Why aren’t you scolding him, Empress Dowager?

Zhao Ji’s mood suddenly grew peculiar.

She had indeed been boiling with rage.

But seeing Li Mo’s travel-worn appearance, the harsh words she had in mind couldn’t come out.

Ultimately, it was just a coincidence.

He wasn’t a real deity; how could he have known about Lu Buwei’s escape in advance?

It just happened that he was out preparing a gift for her, and Lu Buwei chose that night to break out.

It wasn’t his fault.

Yes, can’t blame him!

After silently comforting herself, her gaze landed on the glaring Neishi Teng.

Raising her eyebrows, Zhao Ji yelled, “What are you looking at?”

“Have you captured Lu Buwei?”

“Have you posted the notices?”

“Nothing to do?”

“If you keep glaring, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Neishi Teng lowered his head, his face flushed from the reprimand.

Unbelievable.

I worked tirelessly all night and got scolded, yet the National Advisor who slacked off has no issues.

Thinking it over, Neishi Teng suddenly had a revelation.

Got it!

It must be because the National Advisor prepared a gift for the Empress Dowager.

Next time I’ll do the same, and the Empress Dowager won’t scold me!

Neishi Teng took out a small notebook in his heart and jotted it down.

What to do when the Empress Dowager scolds?

Answer: Prepare a gift for her!

“What gift did the National Advisor prepare for me?”

Not only was Zhao Ji expecting, but even Ying Zheng looked curiously at the box in Li Mo’s hand.

Zhao Ji’s eyes lit up.

This must be the gift that this traitor prepared for me.

It looks quite big.

“The Empress Dowager will know at a glance.”

Li Mo chuckled and held up his arm.

The palace maid next to him originally wanted to step forward to take it, but was stopped by Zhao Ji’s glance.

She then walked over with lotus steps.

After glancing at the box a few times, she looked at Li Mo and said, “If the National Advisor’s gift doesn’t satisfy me, I will have to charge you with dereliction of duty.”

Li Mo smiled: “The Empress Dowager will definitely be satisfied.”

This smile made Zhao Ji immediately displeased.

How do you know I will like it?

First let me see what’s inside, then even if I like it, I will say I don’t.

It’s up to me what to say.

Zhao Ji glared at him and slowly put her hand on the box.

Standing next to her, Ying Zheng raised his head, wanting to see what was inside the box.

Neishi Teng did not dare to look up, afraid of being scolded again.

He had to raise one eye to secretly look.

The box was opened a crack.

A strange smell instantly wafted out.

Gai Nie, who was guarding next to Ying Zheng, suddenly tensed up as he smelled it.

He tightly gripped the sword in his hand and stepped forward to protect Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng’s vision was blocked by the suddenly appearing Gai Nie, and before he could react, he heard Zhao Ji let out a scream.

“Ah!”

Zhao Ji looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her face turning pale in an instant.

She took a few steps back.

Covering her high, heaving chest with her small hands, she took deep breaths.

Neishi Teng’s face changed dramatically upon hearing her scream.

“Protect her! Protect the Empress Dowager! Somebody come quickly!”

The guards at the door rushed in in a swarm.

“Get out!”

Before they could understand what had happened, they were scolded out by Zhao Ji again.

They left as quickly as they had rushed in.

Zhao Ji stared at Li Mo with a look of extreme strangeness.

She had an anger that made her want to bite him, but that anger was mixed with joy.

If one word had to describe her attitude towards Li Mo at this moment.

It was love-hate!

The moment she opened the box, she saw what was inside.

She was so shocked that she screamed.

The box lid was thrown to the ground by Zhao Ji in fright.

Ying Zheng and Neishi Teng both turned their gaze towards the box in Li Mo’s hand.

Next, both of their eyes widened simultaneously.

Inside was a bloody human head!

A fresh human head with tightly closed eyes and a pale face!

“Lu Buwei!”

“Prime Minister Lu?”

Ying Zheng clenched his fist tightly, the deep voice unable to hide the shock in his heart!

Neishi Teng was even more stunned.

He exclaimed directly!

The head belonged to none other than Lu Buwei, who had caused Ying Zheng and Zhao Ji countless sleepless nights!

“Is this gift satisfactory to the Empress Dowager?”

Li Mo handed the box containing Lu Buwei’s head to Neishi Teng.

The latter took it with trembling hands.

His heart couldn’t calm down for a long time.

He had dispatched all the cavalry in Xianyang to chase Lu Buwei but had not seen a trace of him, yet he had fallen into Li Mo’s hands.

Zhao Ji’s face was pale with fright, but her heart was filled with joy.

If Lu Buwei had escaped from Qin, it would have been as hard as climbing the sky to catch him.

But now, the problem was easily solved with someone’s appearance.

Lu Buwei was dead!

His head was in the box!

“How did you do it?”

Zhao Ji did not answer Li Mo’s question but asked curiously instead.

Not only her, but who in the hall wasn’t curious?

They were not curious about how Li Mo killed Lu Buwei.

Instead, they were curious about how he knew Lu Buwei would escape and where he would go.

Li Mo slowly explained, “Lu Buwei has been entrenched in Qin for so many years, so it’s naturally impossible for him to wait for death in prison.”

“His crimes were almost confirmed. Escaping or not was just a matter of time.”

Zhao Ji scrutinized him up and down.

“You had already guessed that he would break out of jail?”

Li Mo nodded indifferently.

Lu Buwei held such a powerful tool like the Luo Network in his hands; how could he sit back and wait for death?

He knew well that his crimes could not be cleared.

He raised so many people and cultivated so many forces in the court just for a critical moment like this!

It was effortless for him to get out of prison.

Li Mo never expected Qin’s prison to hold him anyway.

“So how did you know he would escape last night and where he would go?”

Zhao Ji circled Li Mo, sizing him up from all angles.

It was as if she wanted to see through him and get a clear understanding.

Li Mo stood there openly, letting her look.

He replied, “Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.”

Zhao Ji’s steps suddenly paused.

As if she did not understand, she blinked blankly.

What a ‘Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed’!

Was he deliberately keeping her guessing?

In reality, the method was quite simple.

Since they had guessed that Lu Buwei would break out of jail, wouldn’t it be enough to station people near the prison?

Besides, with Fei Yan, the great fortune teller, it wouldn’t be hard to calculate the route Lu Buwei would take.

Fei Yan calculated that Lu Buwei would face a deadly calamity.

That meant there was no variable in the situation.

No variable meant that he would escape according to the route Fei Yan predicted.

Then he encountered him and was ultimately killed!

Zhao Ji calmed down from her earlier fright, and her troubled mood from the night started to improve.

Lu Buwei’s death resolved a significant worry in her heart.

She instructed Neishi Teng, “Recall the men and announce to the world that Lu Buwei has been executed.”

Neishi Teng raised his hand and responded, “Understood.”

Then Zhao Ji instructed Ying Zheng, “Handle the aftermath, my son. Make sure that Lu Buwei’s faction is thoroughly cleaned up.”

This time, it was because those people had not been cleared in time, giving Lu Buwei an opportunity.

Such an important criminal escaped from Xianyang without a sound.

Zhao Ji gave Li Mo a meaningful look.

If it weren’t for him, Lu Buwei would have truly escaped this time!

Indeed, dealing with rebels requires other rebels.

Although she did not sleep all night, her joy made Zhao Ji not feel any fatigue.

Her phoenix eyes moved and fell on Li Mo once more.

“National Advisor, follow me back to the palace. I need to know the details of last night’s event.”

The reason sounded plausible.

Li Mo pursed his lips helplessly.

You still won’t let me go after I’ve killed him?

My wives are still waiting for me at home!

I haven’t seen Jing Ni all this time, and a reunion naturally feels like rekindling old flames.

This old witch is just delaying my proper affairs!

With Ying Zheng and Neishi Teng around and so many palace maids and eunuchs here, Li Mo couldn’t embarrass the Empress Dowager in front of so many people even if he was unwilling.

He nodded in agreement.

Surrounded by numerous palace maids, the two quickly returned to Zhao Ji’s chamber.

Upon entering, however, Zhao Ji did not sit behind the curtain as usual.

She lightly waved her hand, signaling the palace maids to leave.

Before leaving, they gave Li Mo a peculiar look.

The heavy palace doors slowly closed.

Zhao Ji fixed her gaze on Li Mo with a menacing phoenix stare.

Then, without any warning, she raised her little foot and kicked him on the butt!

She could not hold back anymore!

She really couldn’t hold back anymore!

This guy deliberately scared her today.

Li Mo’s mouth curved slightly as he nonchalantly turned to the side.

Instantly, Zhao Ji’s face changed drastically.

She put all her strength into that kick, intending to settle old scores as well!

But this scoundrel suddenly turned around.

Now, the kick was halfway through, and she couldn’t retract it.

Only a muffled thud was heard from the palace.

Zhao Ji did a split and fell to the ground, letting out a long moan of ecstasy.

Outside the palace, Li felt a sudden pang of alarm.

How much strength did the master use to make the Empress Dowager scream so miserably?

The maids nearby also tried to listen in her way.

Before their ears were even upright, they were scolded by Li.

“How dare you! The National Advisor is reporting state affairs to the Empress Dowager, and you dare to eavesdrop? Do you want to lose your heads?”

Li’s status as Zhao Ji’s maid was higher than these ordinary maids.

Chided by her, several maids immediately shrank their necks and stood properly.

Li coldly glanced at them: “Get lost.”

The maids didn’t dare to argue and quickly ran farther away, standing at a distance.

Li was satisfied, nodding.

Now no one would hear.

Master, you can go all out!

What a loyal subordinate, worrying so much for the master!

“What is the Empress Dowager doing?”

Li Mo turned around, facing Zhao Ji.

Feigning ignorance with a knowing smile.

Zhao Ji’s teeth were chattering from the pain.

Sweat beaded on her smooth forehead and round nose tip.

This split was much more standard than the last time, directly tearing into a split!

“It’s torn, it’s truly torn this time.”

Zhao Ji gritted her teeth, feeling as if her hips didn’t belong to her anymore!

Li Mo chuckled silently.

This Empress Dowager has no sense of martial morality; serves her right!

“I know killing Lu Buwei solved a great worry for the Empress Dowager’s heart. If the Empress Dowager wants to thank me, just reward me with some gold or silver.”

“But such a grand courtesy, I can’t accept.”

Li Mo stood in front of Zhao Ji with hands clasped, speaking sarcastically.

Ambush me?

Do you even know your own strength?

Zhao Ji’s thighs trembled with pain, she didn’t even have the strength to glare at him.

After taking several painful breaths, she painfully stretched out her jade hand.

“Help me, help me, I can’t move.”

Whatever she had to say could wait until she stood up.

She couldn’t just sit there awkwardly, legs spread.

Li Mo reached out to pull her, their hands joining.

With a gentle pull, Zhao Ji cried out loudly.

“Ah, ah, it hurts!”

“No, no, this won’t work, it hurts!”

“Try a different position!”

Outside, Li’s face reddened with embarrassment.

Oh my, this Empress Dowager is easily overcome, and it’s only been a short while before she says it doesn’t work anymore?

She rubbed her flushed face, then continued to listen.

Li Mo crouched down to support her arm.

Helplessly said: “How about this? I’ll go slower, alright?”

Zhao Ji shook her head vigorously.

Tears of pain welled up.

Piteously said: “Even so, it’s not about speed, it’s really painful below.”

“That last move seemed to tear something.”

Falling from such a height into a split, it was fortunate not to have fainted from the pain.

Li’s eyes widened, her heart pounding.

“Torn?”

What madness is this?

No wonder she couldn’t sleep without him!

She wetted her dry lips.

Li moved closer to the door, trying to hear better.

Li Mo crouched beside Zhao Ji, her hands clinging to his arms like hooks.

“Think of something…think of something.”

Li Mo pursed his lips.

What could he do? You sought out the thrill.

Now you’re suffering the consequences?

You cry out in pain with a touch, not to mention standing up.

Without a word, Li Mo reached out and held Zhao Ji’s delicate back.

Zhao Ji shivered.

Glaring at him: “What are you doing?”

Li Mo casually said: “Helping you up. Don’t move, if you fall, I won’t catch you.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ji really stopped moving.

If she fell again, she’d truly be crippled.

Li Mo held her soft waist and back with one arm.

Another hand stretched out for a long time but found no place to put it.

Zhao Ji’s two legs were spread into a wide split.

This posture was only convenient for certain things, but it left nowhere to hold when trying to lift her.

Couldn’t reach the legs!

“Hurry up, how long are you going to keep this palace here?”

Just as he was wondering whether to lift her up, Zhao Ji started cursing.

Li Mo snorted.

Bent down, his hand reached between her legs.

The jade plate was so large that one hand couldn’t support it.

Zhao Ji froze as if struck by lightning.

The painful expression instantly froze on her face, and her body was as stiff as a stake.

It wasn’t until Li Mo placed her on the bed, unexpectedly bringing her legs together, that the sudden pain brought her back to her senses.

She slapped Li Mo on the face, who was still handling her legs.

Li Mo grabbed her wrist.

“Are you crazy again?”

Zhao Ji’s phoenix eyes contained a trace of shyness.

She angrily questioned, “Where did you just touch this palace?”

Li Mo released her wrist and smirked, “Where else should I hold you?”

Zhao Ji glared at him angrily.

Grinding her teeth, she hissed, “Then why did you squeeze a few times?”

Li Mo touched his nose.

Zhao Ji stared at him without blinking, wondering what excuse he’d come up with this time.

Unexpectedly, Li Mo dropped his hand and smirked.

“Too soft, couldn’t resist.”

Blunt as could be!

Bouncy and elastic, like a big jelly.